Monthly Archives: June 2024

You askwhy I perchon a jade green mountainI laughbut say nothingmy heartfreelike a peach blossomin the flowing streamgoing byin the depthsin another world not among men.    – Li Po (Kenneth Rexroth, One Hundred Poems From The Chinese)

“And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.”Pablo Neruda “What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?”Jean-Jacques Rousseau “A kind word is like a Spring day.”Russian proverb Words spoken and unspoken make such a … Continue reading →

“We think we will die of embarrassment if we are rejected. We sometimes don’t even get up to bat because we don’t want to strike out. The way I understand it, success and failure, as commonly spoken of, are really … Continue reading →

Words of wisdom to light our way from a classic and wonderful guide, If you Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence, and Spirit by Brenda Ueland: “It is like this: there are wonderfully gifted people who write a … Continue reading →

“To see what is in front of one’s nose requires a constant struggle.” George Orwell Today, June 25, is George Orwell’s birthday. He was born in 1903. “Politics and the English Language,” George’s masterful essay on clear, compelling prose, is … Continue reading →

“…every rule in the book can be broken, except one—be who you are and become all you were meant to be…” Sydney Harris, American journalist I love these words and the can-do energy behind them! In a world that seems … Continue reading →

Dream Variation Langston Hughes To fling my arms wideIn some place of the sun,To whirl and to danceTill the white day is done.Then rest at cool eveningBeneath a tall treeWhile night comes on gently,Dark like me —That is my dream!To … Continue reading →

“Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.”   Sarah Bernhardt “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”   Maya Angelou What inspiring invitations! Sarah and Maya surely knew … Continue reading →

“In poetry courses, students may be asked to write “in the manner of”so-and-so,or to use a stanza or cadence from a published poet as a model, but teachers of prose writing seem to shun the very idea of imitating. I … Continue reading →

Our brains are not only amazing, they’re resilient. With a dose of effort and intention, we can actually make them work more productively. As the Center for Brain Health puts it, “Here  are five scientifically proven tips we have discovered … Continue reading →